Totient

About Totient

Totient was an AI-driven biotechnology company that identified novel tissue-specific antigens and developed corresponding high-affinity antibody therapeutics by analyzing immune responses in patients. Founded in 2017 by CEO Deniz Kural, PhD, and CBO James Sietstra, the company was spun out of their previous venture, biomedical data company Seven Bridges. Their mission was to apply deep bioinformatics expertise to translate insights from natural immune responses into patient therapies.

The company's platform utilized machine learning and immunoinformatics to analyze tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs), which are formed in tissues affected by cancer, infections, and autoimmune diseases. This approach allowed Totient to reconstruct antibodies from bulk patient RNA sequencing data, a widely available but complex data source, without needing specialized single-cell sequencing. The platform analyzed data from over 50,000 patients to reconstruct more than 4,500 antibodies. These human-derived antibodies were developed for use in advanced treatments like cell therapies, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), and bispecifics.

In September 2020, Totient emerged from stealth, announcing $10 million in seed funding from investors including Mission BioCapital, Sands Capital, and Viva Biotech. The company also engaged in partnerships, including a collaboration with Ginkgo Bioworks to discover COVID-19 antibodies. In June 2021, Totient was acquired by AbSci, a synthetic biology company, for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition integrated Totient's antibody and target discovery technology with AbSci's platform to streamline the design and production of next-generation protein-based therapeutics.